


Both Sides

by hlravensnest_archivist



Category: Highlander: The Raven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-31
Updated: 2003-12-31
Packaged: 2018-12-16 22:00:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11837871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hlravensnest_archivist/pseuds/hlravensnest_archivist
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atHL Raven's Nest. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onHL Raven's Nest's collection profile.





	Both Sides

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HL Raven's Nest](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HL_Raven%27s_Nest). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HL Raven's Nest's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hlravensnest/profile).

Both Sides by RSSacchi

_Both Sides_

By RSSacchi 

* * *

Nick is in his office waiting for Bert to arrive with a new employee. Nick senses another Immortal and assumes it’s Amanda returning from her shopping spree, but a few moments later Bert and an Immortal woman step inside his office. The woman is about 5’6” with long blond hair, blue eyes, a pretty face, and an athletic build sporting a business pants suit. The woman nods to Nick as Bert points to her. 

“Nick, this is Peggy Spang. Peggy, this is Nick Wolfe.” 

Nick extends his hand and Peggy shakes it. “You have excellent references and an impressive resume for someone twenty-five years old.” 

“Thank you, Mr. Wolfe.” 

“It’s Nick, after all we’re going to be working together. Is this your first time in Paris?” 

“I’ve been here a couple of times on vacation.” 

They talk for a few more minutes before Bert excuses himself and leaves. Nick looks at Peggy’s resume. “Let’s make some corrections. What’s your real name?” 

“Peggy Spang. The name on my birth certificate is Margaret Spang, but I go by Peggy.” 

“Speaking of birth certificate --” 

“I don’t know the exact date myself. The year was 1895. First death was in 1918.” 

“I take it you’ve spent more time in Paris than you’ve indicated.” 

“I really don’t care for Paris much. I prefer The Rivera. My security and law enforcement experience is much more than I’ve listed.” 

“I suspected that.” 

“What about you?” 

“Nick Wolfe is my real name. First death 1999.” 

“A babe in the woods.” 

“Maybe, but I’m your boss.” 

“Understood.” 

Nick senses another Immortal before Amanda walks into his office carrying two large shopping bags. “Amanda, this is Peggy Spang. Peggy this is Amanda, she goes by Amanda Montrose.” 

The women shake hands. Nick can tell they recognize each other but they are pretending they’ve never met. 

“Peggy is a new employee. Amanda does some consulting work for us. She’s also my teacher.” 

Amanda eyes her shopping bags. “Well I’d better put these things away. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other.” 

“I suppose so.” 

Amanda walks out of the office. Peggy watches the door for a few moments then walks close to Nick. “Nick, an Immortal can’t choose a teacher. If I could I wouldn’t have chosen the one I got. I’ve seen Amanda before. I think you should know about it.” 

“I’m listening.” 

* * *

**SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST, 1956**

I was taking my predawn swim; I liked this time as I had the whole beach to myself. I’d swim to the point as usual and I reached it just as the sun peaked over the horizon. Then I walked down the opposite side of the peninsula facing the rising sun, liking the feel of the sun in my face and the sea breeze in my hair. Life was good for me. 

Then I felt the presence of another Immortal. There was a boat next to the first beach house and I could see figures between the boat and the house. I was witnessing a theft in progress so I turned around and ran to the point. As I rounded the point, my plan was to make it back to my place and phone the police. 

I felt a sharp pain in my back. Staggering a couple more steps, I fell face down in the sand from someone having shot a spear into my back. I crawled a few feet then saw two sneakers in front of me. Looking up, that’s when I saw her; her hair was long and black but it was her. She had one hand on her hip and held an empty spear gun in the other hand. Cocking her head to one side, she raised an eyebrow, which I took to be her way of saying, ‘The game is over for you sister.’ Then I collapsed, taking a mouthful of sand with my last breath. 

When I woke up, I was face down in the water, the tide pulling me further out to sea. I managed to swim to a buoy where I waited until a couple in a sailboat came by and picked me up. 

* * *

**PRESENT TIME**

“I did some asking around. An Immortal I knew thought the one who speared me might be an Immortal named ‘Amanda’. He described her as a professional thief who has been at her trade for over a thousand years.” 

“I know about her past; she’s stopped stealing.” 

“She has stopped stealing before. In her defense, she has a reputation for avoiding violence. I suppose I caught her on a bad day. I just figured it’s something you should know since you’re in the security business.” 

“It’s something I already know.” 

“Well you’re the boss, I just work here. Do I?” 

“That depends. Is there a score with her you have to settle?” 

“Vengeance is from her century, not mine.” 

“Then you work here.” 

* * *

Nick knocks on Amanda’s door. When she opens it, she has a big smile. “Oh Nick, come in.” Amanda walks over to the couch where she has some new clothes laid out. “I was trying on my new clothes.” 

“Didn’t you do that in the store?” 

“Yes, but I like to see how they match my natural habitat.” 

“You’ve met Peggy before?” 

“In a ships-crossing-in-the-night sort of way.” 

“She told me her side of the story. I’d like to hear yours.” 

Amanda loses her smile. “I don’t think my side would change anything.” 

“I’d still like to hear it.” 

* * *

**SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST, 1956**

There I was in a twenty-four foot cabin cruiser with Tony and Sal; it was night and the moon had set about two hours ago. I plotted our course as Tony drove the boat and Sal scanned the area with a pair of binoculars. If my calculations were correct it was time to turn north. “Turn now.” 

“Aye-aye, two points off the starboard bow.” Tony made a ninety-degree turn with the boat. 

Sal lowered his binoculars. “Land ho! Hoist the main sail. Up the Jolly Roger!” 

What is it about men and boats? Once they’re on one they think they are characters in some pirate movie. 

* * *

Tony cut the boat’s engine and we drifted to the beach. The house we were going to rob was in front of us about fifty feet from the shore. I checked my watch. The luminous dials told me we were about an hour behind schedule from the delay caused by a late start and rough water, but it shouldn’t make a difference. On this beachfront anyone who wakes up before ten would simply make a dash to the bathroom to throw up. Oh, the excesses of new money. 

Sal threw out the anchor and I jumped from the boat and ran to the house. The door’s lock was no challenge. Inside, I cut out the paintings and rolled them up. Tony and Sal came in with boxes to pack and carry the sculptures. When I stepped outside into the early morning light I ran back to the boat and put the paintings in its cabin. 

When I emerged from the cabin I felt the rush of another Immortal. Grabbing the binoculars, I scanned the beach and saw a woman about halfway between the house and the point, but it wasn’t anyone I knew. She looked surprised and frightened, understandable since she couldn’t possibly have a sword inside that white bathing suit. If she plays it cool there should be no problem as most Immortals stay out other Immortals’ business. 

The woman started running back towards the point, but I didn’t know if she was running to get away from me or to do her civic duty. I couldn’t let her send Tony and Sal to jail and had no intention of going to jail because of her. I went back inside the cabin and grabbed the spear gun and rushed back on deck and loaded the gun before jumping back onto the beach. The woman ran fast but not smart along the shore while I cut across the grasslands. 

I emerged from the tall grass just as the woman crossed my path. I aimed and squeezed the trigger, the spear landed in the woman’s back. I admit I felt a certain satisfaction with my shooting skill. When I ran over to the woman she looked up at me and I gave her my ‘gotcha’ look, hoping it would convince her she would only be temporarily dead. 

I pulled the spear out of her just as Tony and Sal ran over to us. Tony kneeled next to her to take her pulse. “She’s dead! My God, what did you do?” 

“She would have told the police about us.” I tossed the spear into the surf. 

“You two toss her into the water. With any luck either they won’t find her or by the time they do they won’t be able to figure out what killed her,” I told them. 

Tony and Sal picked up the body and on a three count threw the woman into the water. 

Sal nervously remarked, “It’s a shame. She was beautiful.” 

“Listen, both of you. It’s better if you don’t think about it. Definitely don’t talk about it unless you like the inside of a jail cell or sitting in the electric chair. Now let’s go back to the boat.” 

As an extra bonus my apparent willingness to kill may have banished any idea Tony or Sal had of cheating me out of my share of the loot. 

* * *

**PRESENT TIME**

“Nick, I would have never done that to her if she was a mortal. You have to believe that.” 

“I know, I do. I don’t think she wants revenge. Maybe you should talk to her about it.” 

“I’m glad to hear that but I think I’ll let sleeping dogs lie.” 

* * *

Nick, Amanda, Peggy and Bert are in Nick’s office as he’s explaining the current case. He finds it amusing that Amanda and Peggy each pretend they don’t remember seeing each other in the past. “David Wiley hired us to provide security for his daughter. She believes she is being followed.” 

Peggy shrugs. “It could be a young woman looking for attention.” 

“Maybe, but she was kidnapped in America last year. It cost Mr. Wiley ten million dollars.” 

“I didn’t hear anything about that.” 

“He never got the police involved. Amanda, you have Ms. Sally Wiley’s size and build.” 

“So the plan is for me to be a clay pigeon?” 

“Yes, and Peggy will be a baby sitter.” 

“How long am I going to keep up this charade?” 

“Long enough for us to figure out if it’s a young woman’s fantasy or a real threat.” 

* * *

Nick drops off Peggy and Sally Wiley at a safe house then drives back to the Wiley estate. From there it’s a matter of waiting for Amanda to get up and get ready. Fortunately Amanda and Sally keep similar hours: they dance till dawn then wake up at the crack of noon. Nick looks at his watch; it’s almost 9 PM when he knocks on the door. “Amanda, you ready?” 

“I will never be ready to go out like this.” 

Amanda flings open the door. She has on an orange wig, purple lipstick, black eye shadow and matching nails. 

“All in the line of duty Amanda. It could be worse.” 

“How?” 

“You forgot to put on a pair of her contact lenses.” 

“You know it’s bad to do that without a prescription.” 

“Since you’re Immortal you don’t have to worry about that. I think the lightning bolt set would do nicely.” 

* * *

Amanda hit the nightspots while Nick, Bert and two other security guards followed at a discreet distance. So far no one has showed any interest in Amanda’s movements. Nick checks his watch; Peggy is fifteen minutes late for a check in, so he calls her. When there is no answer he calls the others. 

“Peggy missed her check in and she doesn’t answer my phone calls. Let’s go to the safe house.” Nick dashes to his SUV and speeds off towards the safe house. 

* * *

Nick drives up to the safe house, followed by Bert, Amanda, and the others. He feels relieved when he senses an Immortal inside the house. _She better have a good reason for not answering or she’s fired._ Nick bangs on the front door. Bert walks up behind Nick and signals to the other two men to circle around the back as Amanda walks up behind them. Nick puts his key in the door but he finds the door is unlocked. He gives an angry look to Bert and Amanda before he walks inside. 

“Peggy! Sally!” 

He follows the Immortal sensation to the den where he finds Peggy lying face down with a fireplace poker stuck in her back. There’s a piece of paper stuck on the poker. Bert enters the den. “Oh God!” Rushing over to Peggy, he checks her neck for a pulse. Finding none, Bert looks over at Nick and Amanda and shakes his head, ‘No’. 

“Search the house! See if Sally is hiding somewhere!” 

The two other men rush off. Nick looks at the piece of paper. “It’s a ransom note. The ransom is ten million.” 

* * *

Nick and Amanda are in the morgue; Amanda has a bag of loose fitting clothes and shower clogs. Peggy is on a slab with a sheet over her body. Nick uncovers her face as he stands over her body and as Amanda paces the floor. When Peggy comes back to life Nick draws his sword and puts its point to Peggy’s neck. Her scared look pleases Nick. Scared people are more likely to tell the truth. “Where is she?” 

“Where is -- I don’t know!” 

“What do you know?” 

“I heard a noise so I went into the den. Then I heard gunshots and felt sharp pains in my back. When I woke up some time later I was in horrible pain. The next thing I know you have a sword to my throat.” 

“Why did you go into the den?” 

“The noise seemed to be coming from the outside that side of the house.” 

“You were shot dead and then someone stuck a poker in your back. Why would kidnappers, who didn’t know you were Immortal, go for that kind of overkill?” 

“They didn’t give me a chance to ask that question.” 

Amanda walks over to Nick and Peggy and touches Nick’s blade with the tips of her thumb and index finger, pulling it away from Peggy’s neck. “Come on, let’s go back to the office and talk like civilized people.” 

“So he can kill me in private?” 

“You know the office is on holy ground. Turn around Nick and no peaking. Here Peggy, I got you some clothes; sorry about the fashion _faux-pas_ but there was no time to shop.” Nick waits with his back to Peggy and Amanda. “You can turn around now. He didn’t even try to peak. You see he really is a gentleman.” 

“So he’ll take his hat off before he takes my head.” 

“Peggy, we’re not going to hurt you.” 

* * *

The Immortal trio is in Nick‘s office; Peggy sits in a chair while he circles her and asks questions while Amanda stands off to the side. 

“Right now you’re in a good position, assuming Sally is still alive. Everyone thinks you’re dead, so it’s not like we can hand you over to the police. Come clean and you walk.” 

“I already told you, I’m not a perpetrator, I’m a victim. Don’t you think I would have planned it so I wouldn’t be a human insect specimen? It’s not that I didn’t already know what that feels like.” Peggy shoots Amanda a glance. 

“Apparently you were living in a high class neighborhood half a century ago. It would seem this job would be below you. So why are you working here?” 

“I made some bad investments.” 

“It would seem a share of ten million would--” 

“You should go into politics with that kind of spin. First you imply I didn’t need the job so I just got it to pull an inside job. When I explain why I’m not rich you imply I committed the crime so I can get back my lavish lifestyle.” 

“Now who’s spinning?” 

Amanda raises her hands. “Now please this isn’t getting us anywhere.” 

“Oh, Miss Congeniality. You’re looking for an inside job? Look at your girlfriend. You’d be only the last in a long line of men she used to make off with a fortune.” 

“It seems you’ve been spending a lot of time minding my business, darling.” 

“It wasn’t much time at all, darling. You have a reputation that goes back, what is it twelve hundred years?” 

Nick feels his cell phone vibrate. He waves for the two women to be quiet and puts the phone to his ear. “Nick here.” 

“The money is ready.” 

“Okay Bert, we’ll meet you in fifteen minutes.” Nick closes the phone. 

“It’s going down. What to do about you? Amanda, you got some rope in the cellar?” 

“Yes, you’re going to tie her up?” 

“We can’t take her with us and we can’t have her running around loose.” 

“You take her to my suite. I’ll get a rope.” 

Nick takes Peggy to Amanda’s suite. He looks around the suite then he opens a closet. Peggy seems torn between fear and anger. Amanda enters the suite. She holds a nylon rope in her hand. 

“Nick, really. If she’s going to be here she might as well be comfortable. Come here, darling.” Amanda leads them into her bedroom. “Lie down, darling. After all you’re going to be here a while.” 

Peggy slips off the shower clogs and lies on her back on Amanda’s bed. Amanda runs her hand down Peggy’s hair. “Don’t worry, if you’re innocent we won’t hurt you.” 

“I am innocent.” 

“Then you have nothing to worry about.” Amanda ties Peggy’s hands together with one end of the rope, then her feet together. 

“One more thing, darling. Don’t waste your time screaming, anyone who might hear you would be used to hearing a lot of noise coming from this room.” 

Peggy shows no emotion. 

* * *

It’s night as Nick drives his SUV while Amanda tracks the homing devices they planted on Peggy. They planted one device in the shower clogs, another device in the dress, and a third in her hair. 

“Any movement yet?” 

“No, I can’t believe she’s this inept! She should have untied those ropes at least fifteen minutes ago.” 

“Not everyone is as good an escape artist as you.” 

“I would have untied those ropes before you left the building, and no one is as good as me.” 

Nick smiles as he drives to the drop off point. Stopping, he takes a suitcase full of Euros out of the rear and puts the suitcase between the two rocks as the kidnapper instructed. Then he gets back in the SUV and drives away. 

* * *

Nick drives while Amanda tracks the homing devices on Peggy and the money. “The suitcase is moving.” 

Nick calls Bert. “The money is on the move.” He turns off the transmitter. 

“What about Peggy.” 

“I guess I made her too comfortable.” 

* * *

Nick slips behind a subcompact car with two people inside. The person in the back seat is moving rapidly back and forth as if frantically doing something “The suitcase is dead ahead.” 

“What about Peggy?” 

“I’ll let you know if she moves or if the screen starts collecting dust.” 

Nick worries Peggy may have found all three bugs. Keeping an eye on the car and drops back so the pair in the subcompact won’t get suspicious. 

“The suitcase just took a right turn.” 

“There isn’t a right turn there. Just some woods and the river.” 

“Maybe they are escaping by boat? The suitcase is moving slowly.” 

“As if walking.” 

An SUV with two people in it drives out of the woods. 

“Bert, you got a good track on the suitcase?” 

“Yeah, why?” 

“You follow the money. I’m going to follow a hunch.” 

“Oh no, not one of your hunches.” 

At a discreet distance, Nick follows the SUV in which the passenger gives the driver a series of enthusiastic hugs and kisses. A few moments later Bert calls Nick. “There’s a car floating down the river!” 

“It looks like my hunch may be paying off.” 

* * *

The SUV turns off onto a dirt road leading to a small house. Nick drives past the turn then turns off his lights and pulls off the road. A light goes on inside the farmhouse and Nick and Amanda run up to the farmhouse. Nick goes to the front door while Amanda circles around to the back. When Nick hears giggling and laughing from inside the house he draws his gun and kicks in the door. “Freeze!” 

There is Sally Wiley with a man who looked in his mid-twenties. They both have money bundles in their hands. 

“Stealing your Dad’s fortune?” 

“Would you like some of it? A million perhaps?” 

“No way.” 

“A full share? Kill him and we can share everything.” 

The man rushes towards Sally. “You bitch!” 

Nick grabs the man as Sally takes out a gun. Amanda jumps her from behind, twists the gun out of Sally’s hand and punches her. Nick cracks a smile. 

“Nothing like a loyal partner.” 

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

Nick and Amanda are in an airport lobby with Peggy. There is a boarding call for Peggy’s flight to the US. “Well, that’s my flight.” 

“I’m sorry about everything.” 

“Nick, I would have probably done the same thing if the situation were reversed. As for my untimely demise, well that’s the drawback of being an Immortal.” 

“It’s unfortunate until you consider the alternative.” 

“Ah, the wisdom that comes with age. No hard feelings here, how about you Amanda?” 

“None here.” 

“Nick, thanks for getting me this job.” 

“It’s the least I could do.” 

Peggy shakes hands with Nick and Amanda then turns and walks towards her boarding gate. Nick and Amanda watch for a few moments then they make their way to Nick’s SUV. 

* * *

They step inside Nick’s SUV and Nick puts his key in the ignition. 

“Nick, there’s something bothering you.” 

“David Wiley already got a high priced lawyer for his daughter. She might walk.” 

“You might be right, but what’s really bothering you?” 

“Peggy. As far as I know she never committed a crime in her life. Where on the other hand, what crime happened that you haven’t committed? Yet I assumed she was guilty and you were innocent.” 

“Well you were half right.” 

Nick puts the SUV in gear. 

“Nick, I appreciate your trust. Off the record, be a little less jaded when it comes to other Immortals and a little more jaded when it comes to me.” 

Amanda winks and Nick drives. 

**THE END**

* * *

© 2003   
Please send comments to the author! 

* * *


End file.
